Conventionally, the thermal transfer recording method using a thermal head is likely to be affected by dust or dirt adhering between an image receiving layer and an ink ribbon or between the thermal head and the ink ribbon. That is, the thermal transfer recording method sometimes may suffer from any image fault such as slip-out of a particular color and inability of securing a particular color due to the dust or the like. Such an image fault is inspected by human naked eyes after transfer/recording to a recording medium is completed. Further, if the fault in an image is remarkable, that recording medium is abandoned as a defective product and then a new recording medium is made again.
Further, as a method for forming an image on a personal authentication recording medium such as the ID card, intermediate transfer recording method is available. The intermediate transfer recording method is an image forming method for transferring an image formed on an intermediate transfer body (intermediate recording medium) to a final recording medium such as an IC card. According to the intermediate transfer recording method, for example, a thermal head is heated corresponding to image information so as to record (transfer) ink on an ink ribbon to a transparent intermediate transfer body and an image formed on the intermediate transfer body is transferred to a recording medium such as an ID card. According to the intermediate transfer recording method, an image is formed on the intermediate transfer body having a specialized image receiving layer, different from the method for forming directly on the recording medium. Thus, the intermediate transfer recording method is less affected by the status of a transfer surface on a recording medium so as to form a stable image.
On the other hand, to prevent forgery or falsification, often a recording medium such as an IC chip incorporated card (IC card) or brochure (IC brochure) is used as a personal authentication recording medium. The recording medium containing the IC chip is an expensive recording medium. Abandonment of such an expensive recording medium for the reason of the image fault increases an economic loss.